Pharmacopuncture in Korea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Table 2

Characteristics of pharmacopuncture interventions in the included studies.

Author,; year	Types and; methods of; pharmacopuncture	Regimen	Pharmacopuncture points	Extraction method; (does it follow guideline?)	Types of; syringe	Amount of injection	Depth of injection	Angle of injection	Cointerventions
Meridian field pharmacopuncture (n = 4)
Park et al., 2011 (1) [12]	CS, fixed	8 sessions; (twice a wk for 4 wks)	Bilateral GB20, GB21, and EX-HN5	Alcohol immersion (N)	27 G	0.1 mL each	n.r.	n.r.	None
Jeong et al., 2011 [26]	BUM, partially individualized	3 sessions; (for 7 d)	Bilateral BL23, BL25, and BL26 + tender points	n.r.	n.r.	0.05 mL × 10 (total 0.5 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	A
Park et al., 2011; (2) [29]	Carthami-Flos, fixed	15 sessions; (once per 2 d for 30 d)	Bilateral GB20, GB21	Pressing (Y)	1.0 mL syringe, 26 G	0.05 mL × 4 (total 0.2 mL)	10–30 mm	n.r.	A + HM + PT (HP, TENS, and ICT)
Park et al., 2008 [20]	CS, fixed	8 sessions; (twice a wk for 4 wks)	ST25, ST27, BL52, and CV6	Alcohol immersion (N)	1.0 mL syringe, 27 G	0.1 mL × 7; (total 0.7 mL)	0.5–1 inch	n.r.	None
Eight-principle pharmacopuncture (n = 14)
Seo,; 2013 [21]	Ouhyul, fixed	6 sessions; (3 times a wk for 2 wks)	Unilateral LI15, TE14, GB21, SI11, and SI12	Distillation (Y)	30 G	0.1 mL × 5; (total 0.5 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	Other treatments (the type is not mentioned)
Lee et al., 2012; (1) [22]	HHT, partially individualized	8 sessions; (twice a wk for 4 wks)	GV16, GB20, GB21, and so forth	n.r.	29 G	Total 1 mL	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + IR
Lee et al., 2012; (2) [23]	HHT, partially individualized	8 sessions; (twice a wk for 4 wks)	GV16, GB20, GB21, and so forth	n.r.	29 G	Total 1 mL	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM
Woo et al., 2011 [24]	Ouhyul, individualized	4 sessions; (twice a wk for 2 wks)	Ashi points (neck)	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe	Total 1 mL	n.r.	n.r.	A + IR
Kim et al., 2011 (1) [25]	HHT, fixed	8 sessions; (twice a wk for 4 wks)	Bilateral BL23, BL25, GV3, GB30, and so forth	n.r.	29 G	Total 1 mL	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM
Jun et al., 2011 [27]	ShinBaro, individualized	14 sessions; (daily for 2 wks)	EX-B2 in the most severe level of disc herniation	Distillation (Y)	1.0 mL syringe, 26 G	1 mL × 2; (total 2 mL)	Intramuscular (3 cm)	Perpendicular	A + CCP + HM + tuina + PT (ICT, TENS, microwave, and HP)
Im et al., 2011 [28]	Soyeom, partially individualized	5 sessions; (once per 2 d for 10 d)	Ashi points (neck) + tender points + bilateral GB20, GB21, and GV14	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe, 30 G	0.05–0.1 mL each; (total 0.8 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + cupping + PT (ICT, ultrasound, and HP)
Song et al., 2009 [31]	Soyeom, individualized	3 sessions; (once per 2 d for 7 d)	EX-B2 in the level of disc herniation	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe, 29 G	1 mL × 2; (total 2 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + PT (TENS, HP, and ICT) + wet cupping
Shin et al., 2009 [13]	Soyeom, fixed	3 sessions; (once per 2 d for 6 d)	TE17 on the affected side	Distillation (Y)	1.0 mL syringe, 26 G	Total 0.6–0.8 mL	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + PT (SSP, massage, exercise, HP, and ICT)
Choi et al., 2009 [14]	Soyeom, fixed	n.r.	TE17 on the affected side	n.r.	n.r.	Total 0.4 mL	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + PT (SSP, massage, exercise, ICT, and negative)
Kang et al., 2008 [32]	HHT, fixed	3 sessions; (once per 3-4 d × 3)	GB39, GB40, GB41, BL60, BL62, and ST36	n.r.	29 G	0.1 mL × 6; (total 0.6 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	None
Lee et al., 2007 [33]	Ouhyul, individualized	for 9 d	Ashi points (lumbar)	n.r.	n.r.	0.6 mL each	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + PT (HP, ICT, TENS, and negative)
Kim et al., 2006 [15]	HHT, fixed	4 sessions; (once per 2 d for 8 d)	Bilateral GB20, GB21, and LI4	Distillation (Y)	1.0 mL syringe, 30 G	0.1 mL × 6; (total 0.6 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	None
Bae and Park,; 2004 [35]	Ouhyul, fixed	3 sessions; (once per 2 d for 6 d)	SI10, LI15, TE14, and GB21 + Gyun-joong (Master Dong’s acupuncture point)	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe	0.05–0.1 mL × 5; (total 0.25–0.5 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + PT
Monotype pharmacopuncture (n = 9)
Lee,; 2013 [19]	HPP, partially individualized	6 sessions; (3 times a wk for 2 wks)	ST19, ST25, ST27, BL18, BL20, BL21, BL23, and so forth	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe, 0.3 × 8 mm	0.05 mL each; (total 0.8 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	HM
Kim, 2011; (2) [10]	Capsicum frutescens L., fixed	16 sessions; (twice a wk for 8 wks)	Abdomen	n.r.	Mesogun	0.05 mL × 60 (total 3 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	Diet therapy + exercise
Kim et al., 2010; (1) [30]	Root bark of UDP, partially individualized	12 sessions; (twice a wk for 6 wks)	ST35, EX-LE5, EX-LE2, and Ashi points on the affected side	Distillation; (no guideline)	1.0 mL syringe, 29 G	n.r.	5–15 mm	n.r.	None
Kim et al., 2010; (2) [37]	HPP, fixed	5 sessions; (postpartum 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 d)	CV4, bilateral BL23	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe, 26 G	0.4 mL (CV4), 0.3 mL (BL23); (total 1 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM
Noh et al., 2009 [18]	HPP, fixed	15 sessions; (5 times a wk for 3 wks)	ST36, GB34, BL55, BL56, and BL57	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe, 30 G	0.4 mL × 5; (total 2 mL)	10 mm	Perpendicular	A
Kim et al., 2008 [36]	HPP, fixed	5 sessions	CV4, bilateral ST36, SP9, and SP6	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe,; 26 G (CV4),; 30 G (bilateral ST36, SP9, and SP6)	1 mL (CV4), 1 mL (bilateral ST36, SP9, and SP6); (total 2 mL)	Equal to needle length	n.r.	None
Park et al., 2006 [34]	HPP, partially individualized	6–9 sessions (2-3 times per wk for 3 wks)	BL23, ST35, EX-LE4, GB34, SP10, and ST34 + Ashi points	n.r.	U-100 insulin syringe	0.1 mL each	n.r.	n.r.	PT (HP, ultrasound massage, ICT, FES, and exercise)
Lim et al., 2005 [16]	Scolopendrid, fixed	8–12 sessions (2-3 times per wk for 4 wks)	Between flexor carpi radialis tendon and median nerve	Alcohol immersion (Y)	1.0 mL syringe	1 mL each	Subcutaneous (flexor retinaculum)	45 degrees	A + EA + HM + PT (PB, ultrasound, HP, microwave, ICT, and SSP)
Lee et al., 2005 [17]	HPP, fixed	3 times per wk (during hospitalization); twice per wk (during the period they visited the clinic) for 5 wks	GB14, SI18, ST4, ST6, TE17, and TE23 on the affected side	n.r.	1.0 mL syringe, 29 G	0.05 mL × 6; (total 0.3 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	A + HM + WM + PT (EST, IR, HP, massage, and exercise)
Others (n = 2)
Lim,; 2013; [9]	Wild ginseng + BUM, fixed	10 sessions; (twice a wk for 5 wks)	Left and right sides of four points inferior to and four points superior to the navel points on the stomach and the spleen and gallbladder meridians (total 24 points)	Distillation (wild ginseng, Y); Alcohol immersion (BUM, Y)	n.r.	0.2 mL each; (total 5 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	None
Kim et al., 2009 [11]	EAP, fixed	10 sessions; (twice a wk for 5 wks)	ST25, CV4, CV6, and GB26	Distillation (Y)	n.r.	0.5 mL × 4; (total 2 mL)	n.r.	n.r.	Diet therapy + EA + HM + exercise

Pharmacopuncture classification according to the treatment rationale.
Pharmacopuncture method was classified into three categories based on the levels of individualization: “fixed” means all patients receive the same treatment at all sessions, “partially individualized” means using a fixed set of points to be combined with a set of points to be used flexibly, and “individualized” means each patient receives a unique and evolving diagnosis and treatment [38]. Pharmacopuncture point LI5 refers to 5th point of large intestine meridian and extra points have different nomenclature (e.g., Ex-UE3 means 3rd extra point in upper extremity). Ashi points mean local pain points; guideline for extraction methods is based on the text book published in Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute [1]; 1st: 3–7 days before 1st menstruation; 2nd: within 2 days after the start of 1st menstruation; 3rd: after the end of 1st menstruation; 4th: 3–7 days before 2nd menstruation; 5th: within 2 days after the start of 2nd menstruation.
A: acupuncture; BUM: Calculus Bovis.Fel Ursi.Moschus; CCP: Coptis chinensis pharmacopuncture; CS: Carthami-Semen; d: days; EA: electroacupuncture; EAP: Ephedra sinica Stapf-Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. pharmacopuncture; EST: electrical stimulation therapy; FES: functional electrical stimulation; G: gauge; HHT: Hwangryunhaedok-tang; HM: herb medicine; HP: hot pack; HPP: Hominis Placenta Pharmacopuncture; ICT: interferential current therapy; IR: infrared radiation; N: no; n.r.: not reported; PB: paraffin bath; PT: physical therapy; SSP: silver spike point; TENS: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; wk: week; wks: weeks; WM: western medicine; Y: yes.